This position is on a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Staff, located in a NRCS State Office, and is supervised by the Assistant State Conservationist-Programs. The incumbent serves as the Easement Coordinator in a state for the following: Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP); Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP); ACEP - ALE and ACEPWRE, and Emergency Watershed Protection-Floodplain Easements Program (EWPFPE).

Duties

Serves as the Easement Coordinator for the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP), ACEP-ALE and ACEP-WRE, and Emergency Watershed Protection-Floodplain Easements Program (EWP-FPE). Manages contracts for outside services for the completion of Market Analyses and surveys of WRE areas of interest to determine appropriate easement compensation rates and develops corresponding statewide Geographical Area Rate Caps. Provides leadership in statewide quality assurance activities related to NRCS programs with emphasis to the WRP, GRP, ACEP, and EWP-FPE easement programs. Manages restoration agreements, contracts and budgets, reviews modification requests and processes in-scope or out-of scope justification as necessary and elevates to appropriate approving official. Conducts outreach activities for easement program opportunities for culturally diverse population.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected you will be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Subject to one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Must possess a bachelor's degree or higher in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Must possess a combination of education and experience that includes courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that the applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. In addition to courses in the major and related fields, a typical college degree would have included courses that involved analysis, writing, critical thinking, research, etc. These courses would have provided an applicant with skills and abilities sufficient to perform progressively more responsible work in the occupation. Therefore, creditable experience should have demonstrated similarly appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the work of the occupation. In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level(s) in which you are applying: Specialized Experience at the GS-12: Must have at least one full-time year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service performing the following duties: Providing technical guidance, assistance, and evaluation to easement management plans and appeals; Reviewing an easement program's practices to identify measures that could improve overall effectiveness; Maintaining an electronic database that tracks information such as easement program applications, eligibility, deeds, and appraisals; and Managing contracts and budgets related to an easement program. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience.) IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The OPM Qualification Standards for this position can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Occupational-Series

Education

You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov)

Contacts

• Address Natural Resources Conservation Service 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Midwest Services Branch
• Phone: 8164265706
• Email: [email protected]